


Hush Now, Baby

by MixterGlacia



Series: Open Your Heart. (i'm coming home) [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arson, Body Horror, Cletus Typical Violence, For A Few More Reasons Than Last Time, Gore, Identity Issues, Multi, Nature Versus Nurture, Self-Hatred, Self-Insert, Venom and Carnage aren't Related
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22918903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MixterGlacia/pseuds/MixterGlacia
Summary: When a dangerous new foe reveals themself, the crew has some very important questions answered...even if they didn't want them to be.
Relationships: Eddie Brock/Original Male Character(s), Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote, Oc&OC
Series: Open Your Heart. (i'm coming home) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1168496
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	Hush Now, Baby

**Author's Note:**

> ~Remember, This is an AU!~  
> Okay legit I actually had this drafted for a while but was a little nervous to post it, because we don't know how Venom 2 is going to handle the whole Red situation. But I just...the symbiotes man they compel me to write. So I decided to go off of Riot's handling and guess they probably won't make Carnage and Venom related. Anyway...enjoy!

Nick really has to wonder how he ended up with this heavy camera on his shoulder. He was supposed to be in the flat. He was supposed to be the anti-social fact-checking gremlin. 

_ That’s a bit much. _

The man rolls his eyes at that. It was unexpected. After all, Plague wasn’t as chatty as Venom had been. The two were both snippy, but there was a certain...how do you put it? Not belittling, no. Aloofness?

_ I am not. _ The alien hisses.  _ Pay attention, the image is out of focus. _

Shit. Nick quickly adjusts the camera, tracking his partner’s…excitable motions. It’s not that surprising coworkers griped about filming Eddie. Like tracking a ferret, one had said.

_ Nick. You’re getting distracted again. _ Plague scolds. 

For the rest of the broadcast, Nick’s symbiote physically keeps him in line. Be it a jolt to his muscles, or prodding at their Other’s organs, they managed. It wasn’t that much of a visual story, so Nick didn’t really get what the big deal was.

He and Eddie swing by the office to drop the footage, same as usual.

What greets them, however, is not.

Cops are everywhere. The whole block is being closed off, yellow tape reflecting a sickly mix of the emergency lights. 

_ I smell rotting meat. _ Plague rasps, curling around their host’s intestines. 

_ ‘How bad is it?’ _ Nick glances over at Eddie, wondering if V’ is picking up on the same thing.

The question makes his symbiote pause.  _ Hm...I’m not exactly sure how to answer that. Humans are both more, and less sensitive to these things. All I know is that it’s in the stage of bloating. You can’t smell that? _

That’s it. Nick grabs his partner’s sleeve. “C’mon.”

“Yeah...you want us to get in there?” Eddie asks, quietly falling in line behind the taller man.

It went without saying that E’ and V’ were the ones for infiltration. After all, they could turn invisible. True, Plague was much more inclined to silent maneuvers, but frankly...the poor thing smelled just as rank as the garbage they feasted on. 

Not to mention, beyond the week where they had been MIA, the pair had never fully ‘suited’ up.

As Nick and Eddie carefully make their way behind the barricade, the smell thickens. Plague does something, making it more tolerable for their Other. On the flipside, Venom can only help so much.

“Jesus,” Eddie whispers harshly, eyes watering. “What the fuck is this?”

It’s then that V’ cautiously slides from their hosts veins.  **“Trouble.”** They glance back at Nick.  **“If you hear anything-”**

“We know, just-...” The man glares at the pavement, face wavering. “-for fuck’s sake, be careful. Don’t push your luck. If we hear a commotion, we’re-”

“Nick, no.” Eddie snaps. “We can handle this. If you hear something, you run.”

“Just because you  _ can _ doesn’t mean you  _ should. _ ” He folds his arms, eyes discolouring from his symbiote shifting underneath his flesh. “One of these days, you two are going to get into something you can’t get out of.”

**“Nickyyyy…”** Venom whines. 

“No. This isn’t negotiable.”

They all go silent, stances tense and shoulders tight. Unable, or rather, unwilling to continue arguing, Eddie gives V’ a nonverbal signal. Ink engulfs him, and Venom gives one last glance backwards, before vanishing in a shimmer of light.

* * *

It’s been an hour and Nick is ready to intervene. That’s when Plague senses something to their right. Expecting it to be his wayward partner, the man turns on his heel, ready to shout.

Except, this is most certainly not Eddie.

A thin man, with red hair and wild staring eyes is grinning up at him. “Hiya.”

Plague is screaming in Nick’s head.  _ Run. Nick, run now! _

_ ‘What?!’ _ Is all he can ask before he’s pinned to the wall.

“You didn’t even look at my present. That’s rude, y’know.” The stranger points out, grip tightening.

That’s enough for Plague. They force Nick’s hands to grab the attacker’s wrists. They barely coat their host’s palms, but that’s all they need. The redhead’s flesh reacts, blistering up and beginning to show signs of rot.

The man yelps, though it’s not one of pain. In fact, it’s delight that rings out. “Gotcha.” he grins maniacally.

Nick doesn’t need any more motivation to haul ass out of there. He knows SF like the back of his hand. At this point he doesn’t even bother with the pretense of speaking to his alien in the comfort of their shared head. “What the fuck is going on?!”

_ Please, just run! _ Plague begged. Plague never begs. Not for Nick, or anyone else. Their voice had ticked up an octave, panic singing through the bond.

“I am! What the fu-” That’s when a thin, cord like object snags Nick’s throat. He chokes, even when Plague darts to reinforce the delicate muscles. The two are dragged for several yards before the symbiote pulls his rotting trick again, snapping whatever it was.

Thing is...Plague could only destroy living, organic tissue. 

That gives Nick a little bit of clarity. “Is that a-”

Something heavy tackles him into the ground before he can get the words out. Globs of scarlet and black ooze onto his face.

**_“C’mon, honey~ You can show me, I know you’re in there.”_ **

Jesus tapdancing christ.

Nick struggles against the unfamiliar symbiote while his Other is practically going into a full breakdown. “What are you talking about!?” 

Their inky maw splits open, hissing delicately.  **_“I’m not here for you, morsel. Let me play with them. I just want to have a little fun~!”_ **

A loud thud echoes and deep snarling rings out.  **“Back off.”**

**_“It's Venom now, right?”_ ** The stranger sits back on their haunches.

Nick sees his opening, and takes it without a second thought. He bucks the crimson symbiote off, scrambling towards V’. He gasps for air, desperately trying to soothe Plague.

**“You’re in our territory.”** Venom growls, crouching over Nick.  **“You’re not welcome here, Carnage.”**

_ ‘Carnage?’ _ Nick wonders. He gets no response from his terrified Other. Flashes of emotion flicker across their bond, far too swiftly for Nick to pin down.

**_“I don’t care about that.”_ ** Carnage grins, bands of bright red pulling away from their body, flowing through the air before rejoining the rest of themself.  **_“Just wanted to see them.”_ **

**“What?”** Venom demands, but the howl of sirens cuts them off. Without warning, they scoop up Nick and hold him close. Before the police can round the corner, they order,  **“Whatever. If we catch you sniffing around, we** **_will_ ** **devour you.”**

**_“Oh, really? Sounds like a fun date. See you soon.”_ ** With that, they bound off, vanishing into the night.

Nick was going to have one hell of a time figuring this out.

* * *

The trip back to the flat was winding and nonsensical. Eddie and Nick had to be certain they weren’t followed. This leads to them taking at least three trolley, and four detours before they can even see their front door. Venom hoists them up via the fire escape, squirming through the crack in their window to unlatch it.

Nick is only in the apartment for a full minute before he harshly asks, “Plague, what was that.”

No response.

“For fucks sake, just  _ tell _ me!” The man struggles to keep his voice down. “You’re freaking out and I can’t help you if I don’t know why.”

_ It’s nothing. _ They hiss, boiling uncomfortably in their host’s gut.

Nick kicks his shoes off, not caring when they smack loudly into the wall. “That’s some bullshit, you know? You and I can’t lie to each other, remember?”

Eddie shifts his weight nervously. “Uh, are they alright-”

“No.” Nick interrupts. “That symbiote scared them shitless.”

Bruises bloom over Nick’s collar bones, Plague growling loudly as they manifest.  _ ‘I’m not letting you get into brawls with violent psychopaths. Did you even pay attention to the host?’ _

Venom, for the first time, is the softer voice of the two aliens. They peel from their Other to watch the furious symbiote.  **“You saw?”**

_ ‘Slim, blue eyes, curly red hair-’ _

“That-...” Eddie swallows thickly. “That sounds kinda like Cletus Kasady.”

_ That _ gets Nick’s attention. “The serial killer you interviewed?”

Eddie nods. “He did say that he would come after me  _ when _ he escaped.”

Venom hums thoughtfully.  **“Mentioned something about Carnage too.”**

“I didn’t know there was one of you named that!” Their host protests.

**“They didn’t change it right** **_away_ ** **, dumbass. It was just before they vanished.”** V’ huffs as they roll along their Other’s shoulder.  **“Next time we see them, we’ll just eat them.”**

_ ‘You say that like it will be simple.’ _ Plague mutters quietly.

“Okay that’s it.” Nick snaps. “Do you have a history with this guy? You’re flipping out enough that I’m getting nauseous.”

_ ‘I am  _ **_not_ ** _ talking about this.’ _

“Plague, I let you into my head, it’s about time you did the same!” Their host shouts, eyebrows furrowed.

_ ‘ _ **_No!_ ** _ ’ _ They scream right back, wrapping themself around Nick’s face, like a sci-fi movie monster.  _ ‘I  _ **_can’t_ ** _!’ _

Something at the core of their bond coils so tightly it threatens to  _ snap _ . Nick’s stomach heaves again, strong enough to make him stumble.

Eddie’s there in a second, saying something that’s drowned out by thick layers of slime.

_ ‘I can’t Nick, you’ll despise me! Please,  _ **_please_ ** _ stop asking!’  _ They plead desperately, weaving in and out of their host’s skin. Every breath is full of goop, yet something is keeping the man from suffocating. This marks the second time they’ve begged tonight.

_ “What makes you think I’d ever let go of you?! Plague you’re my-” _ Nick thinks as intensely as he can, before he feels his symbiote manifesting their arms. They fold around him, long knife-sharp talons slicing into the fabric of his jacket.

_ ‘You hardly know me, Nick!’ _ They snarl viciously. 

That tears it. Nick yanks Plague away from his face enough to scream. “You’re  _ right _ ! I don’t know you!”

Eddie leaps a foot into the air, Venom recoiling in shock.

Nick aggressively clutches his Other to his chest, their mass writhing like a wounded beast. “All I know is that you were split from one of the Life Foundation’s subjects, then experimented on! How the  _ fuck _ am I meant to  _ help _ you if you won’t  _ let me in _ ?!”

Plague lets out the most pathetic cry, face forming and collapsing back into the rest of themself rapidly.  _ ‘I need to protect you!’ _

“From  **_what_ ** ?!”

_ ‘My sire!’ _

That slices through the shouting match like a blade. Plague froths against Nick’s front, whimpering in a very out of character way.

Nick, in turn, runs his palm over the trembling ball of slime. It’s a woefully ineffective attempt to soothe them, but he’d just been given a very clear message. “Plague...Plague look at me.”

Shivering, the alien starts to pull themself together. They send a frightened, almost frail indication of compliance through their bond.

“Is Carnage your parent?”

The tension shatters. Murky memories spill forth, sweeping Nick out to sea.

A foreign, crazed mind, driven deeper into insanity when some fuzzy shape jams it into a jar. Then the vision clears, if only a little. Even though he’s never been, Nick is certain that this is the Life Foundation. There’s a string of disappointing hosts until the shriek of noise begins to torment them. Some lab tech with a messy bun and oversized glasses looks guilty as she fiddles with the knobs until an already fractured mind can’t take it anymore.

In a moment, the world snaps into crystal clear focus. A warm, familiar feeling that Nick associates with his Other radiates around him.

The memory doesn’t take long before Nick is presented with the well known sight of Oscorp. It fades out after that… The man sits back looking down at the wine coloured goop in his arms.

“Buddy...you thought I’d hate you for this?”

A soft whimper.

“Oh, Plague.” Nick’s voice is gentle. “I could never hate you just because that nutcase spawned you.”

Plague rolls over their host’s knuckles, still tense and fearful.  _ ‘And if...if I snap? What will you do then?’ _

Nick doesn’t hesitate. “Then I’ll rein you in and help you find yourself again.” He assures as he drags his fingers through his Other’s mass. “I’ve got you, pal. No matter what, I’ve got you.”

Plague’s teeth form, worrying at their hosts arm.  _ ‘I could  _ **_kill_ ** _ you, Nick.’ _

“You haven’t yet.”

The alien stills, eye marking swirling into view, looking sadly up at the man.  _ ‘But I’m a  _ **_danger_ ** _ to your wellbeing.’ _

“I’m a danger to  _ myself _ , Plague. I need you to cut the ‘I’m a ticking time bomb’ shit out, okay? You’re stuck with me, and this self-hatred needs to stop  _ now. _ ” Nick lectures them.

_ ‘But…’ _

“Nope.” Nick cuts them off before turning to Eddie and his symbiote. “Hey, V’.”

The alien in question jumps, ripples expanding over their surface.  **“Yeah, Nicky?”**

“You told me some memories get passed down to your offspring, right?”

Venom nods, squinting.  **“Why?”**

“Let’s say the parent is insane. What’s the odds that the children inherit that trait?” Nick posits.

**“None. We don’t really raise them, so they define themselves.”** They explain, curling around Eddie.  **“You don’t take a ride on the crazy train because of your sire.”**

“There you go.” Nick snorts. “So stop flipping your shit, Plague.”

The symbiote shrinks into themself slightly.  _ ‘Can you really be sure? Lest you forget, I’m not a  _ **_normal_ ** _ member of my species.’ _

That makes their Other snap. “Then we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it! Hell,  _ if _ we get to it! You’re  _ mine _ okay? That means you’re my responsibility. One that I am  _ more _ than willing to handle! We’re two halves of a whole, not two individuals, alright?!”

_ ‘...’ _

“Buddy, I need to hear you say that you trust me to comprehend the ‘risks’ and make my choices in this matter.” Nick advises.

_ ‘...I do.’ _ They whisper against Nick’s hands before coiling under his chin.  _ ‘I always will...even if I don’t trust myself.’ _

Nick breathes a sigh of relief. “Good…” He pets his Other softly. “Don’t scare me like that again.”

_ ‘No guarantees.’ _

Then Eddie’s work phone rings. The reporter answers it with, “Brock here, what’s u-” The word dies in his throat eyes going wide. He ends the call quickly.

“E’ who was that?”

“Kasady. He wants a meeting.” Eddie elaborates.

**“He can go fuck himself.”** Venom reacts with all the grace of a drunk bull.

Plague hisses in agreement.

“He-...the  _ two _ of them will most certainly start killing to get our attention.” Eddie cautions the others. “Cletus has done so in the past with me. It’s how I got him caught. If he’s got my work number, he probably knows my friends…”

Venom grimaces.  **“Annie?”**

“Yeah.”The reporter confirms. “And Dan.”

Nick’s jaw clenches. “Then we give the fuckers what they want.”

_ ‘No.’ _ Plague retorts.  _ ‘That’s incredibly reckless, Nick. We can’t just-’ _

“Trust, Plague. You promised me your trust, right?”

The engineered symbiote pauses, vines of decay drooping down. Nick had no idea they could be this motionless in ‘noodle’ form.  _ ‘Fine...I won’t let them hurt you.’ _ They assure.  _ ‘None of you.’ _

Venom seconds that.

Nick runs a hand through his messy hair, turning to Eddie. “We can’t be late, E’.”

His boyfriend chuckles a bit. “I’ll get the bike.”

* * *

The location the serial killer chooses is good and bad for both sides involved.

The dump.

It’s isolated. Less danger to the public, but more for the gang. The low chance of prying eyes benefited the lot of them. Nick knows the landfill well, but the same can be said of Kasady…

An unpredictable mess was what this was. Plague catches a whiff of human cadaver to their left.

Nick points E’ and V’ in that direction.

Venom bubbles out of Eddie’s flesh, characteristic grin looking more shark-like than ever.

“Ah, there you guys are!” Cletus calls out casually. “Here me and Red were worried you’d chickened out! That ruins some of our plans.” He sticks out his tongue. “No fun allowed with you guys, huh~?”

Plague twists in Nick’s intestines, trying to keep from hurting their host.  _ Nick- _

_ “I’ve got us.” _ The mutant assures his Other.  _ “Promise” _

_ O-okay. _ The symbiote does something to ease the man’s upset stomach.  _ Okay… _

“The missus wants t’ see the little shit.” Cletus takes a stride forward, only to be faced with the hulking silhouette of Venom. A spray of crimson paints over the maniac’s throat.

A warning, Nick thinks.

**“Why do you** **_care_ ** **Carnage?”** They demand.  **“You never knew them.”**

If he wasn’t aware of alien slime monsters, it would look to Nick as if someone had drawn a blade over Kasady’s neck. This symbiote looks so much like actual blood, it’s unnerving.

Cold, misty eye markings swirl into place. Fangs of obsidian part to chuckle.  **_“But I wanna make sure you idiots aren’t filling my kids head with bullshit!”_ ** They tease.  **_“Sweetheart, sweetheart-”_ **

Plague recoils inside of their host.

**_“-come out and see me~.”_ **

For a moment, Nick is sure his Other will refuse. Then he catches the bruising that forms over his forearm. They silently unfurl from the man’s cells, glaring.

_ ‘You have no right to call me sweetheart.’ _

Undeterred, Carnage purrs.  **_“My my~. What big teeth you have.”_ **

**“Cut the shit!”** Venom barks.  **“Why-”**

Long, knife-sharp talons whip out, slicing deeply into the inky symbiote.

Nick has to stumble back to avoid being trampled by mistake. He almost falls victim next, but ropes of burgundy sling out to yank him away from the danger of their sires claws.

**_“Don’t be like that, little one. Stop being a bitch and come FIGHT ME.”_ ** Carnage taunts as they swallow their host’s form.  **_“Or you and that scrawny excuse for an Other will just be my midnight snack.”_ **

Said host doesn’t have a moment to blink when he’s shoved beneath the surface. It’s disorienting. More so than the few times back in Brooklyn. He gains his metaphorical footing in time to hear a disturbingly happy giggle from one unhinged asshole.

**_“You’re so big!”_ ** They observe, then gasp excitedly.  **_“And you have my talons too! Chip off the ol’ block, eh~?”_ **

Plague doesn’t care. They snap at their sire the moment the monster takes a swing. Refusing to be satisfied with a simple maiming, they clamp down until they’ve severed the underlying meat and bone. Unlike Nick, who was mostly protected inside of his Other’s torso, Carnage was streamlined. They closely adhered to their hosts anatomy.

A shrill shriek echoes across the dump, startling some roosting birds. It morphs into a cackle, and before their eyes, the red and black beast starts regenerating muscle tissue.  **_“Nice try!”_ ** They grin brightly.

Venom comes barreling out of  _ nowhere _ , tackling the smaller alien. Then they bellow, claws carving bits out of Carnage’s side.  **“LEAVE!”**

A whirl of action that Nick and Plague can’t track slings refuse into the wind. When it clears, Carnage has Venom’s head in their jaws.

The world narrows into a buzz of white noise. Plague moves faster than Nick was aware they could. They grapple at the assailant, slinging many tendrils around their sires face and limbs and make it  _ rot _ .

The cry sounds different this time. Like it actually  _ hurt _ . Carnage releases V’, bolting into the cool night air.

Plague confirms they aren’t coming back before returning to Eddie and Venom’s side. It takes some convincing to get them to withdraw into Nicks innards.

Venom follows suit, though they stick close enough to the surface that Eddie’s veins are a sickly gray.

“That...that went better than I expected it to.” The reporter admits.

**They’re crazy and masochistic, not stupid.** Ven’ growls.  **They won’t be fighting fair next time. Splitting us up, fire, anything to give them an edge. Nothing’s gonna be left to chance from now on.**

Nick gnaws on his lip. “We need to warn Anne and Dan.”

Eddie doesn’t need to be told twice. They get to the bike and tear off.

* * *

By some...well miracle, they out pace Cletus. Nick bangs on their friends door frantically until an exhausted looking Dan lets them in. He doesn’t even get a ‘Hi’ in when he’s got four guests.

Nick is trying to explain the whole ordeal while E’ and V’ patrol the rest of the flat. Plague is regularly darting out from their host to scan the room for the millionth time.

“I’m just glad you guys made it out pretty untouched.” Anne sighs. “Why on earth would you go alone?”

Nick fidgets. “It’s not like we have any other like-minded folks in our situation. Not that we know of, anyway…”

“What about Mr.Stark?” Dan wonders. “Eddie said you were in contact with him.”

Nick shrinks under their scrutiny. “What would he do? Even if he took the fastest jet available, it’d be an hour at least.”

“To have backup enroute.” Annie sounds like a bedraggled mother explaining ethics to a toddler. “Go ca-”

The sound of a small explosive is defaning. It rattles the building and the flash temporarily blinds them all. Intense heat licks at Nick’s back and Plague yelps in pain.

_ Fire! _

Oh christ, the flat was being  _ firebombed _ .

“EDDIE!” Nick shouts, using a coil of his Other to lasso his friends (and their cat) in order to drag them to safety.

Venom thunders down the stairs, wide-eyed at the sight.  **“Son of a bitch!”** They snap, the piercing howl of the smoke alarms making it harder to hold their shape.  **“Out the back!”**

The well built symbiote doesn’t hesitate in crashing through the door to make escaping easier. There they find little more than a familiar back alley. Much better than the serial killer that was surely lurking nearby.

**“We knew it.”** Venom takes no pride in that statement. 

Nick lets Plague take the wheel so it only takes one gangly limb to hold onto their all too vulnerable companions.  _ ‘No such thing as fair in love and war.’ _

A lighthearted whistle alerts the gang to an unwelcome interloper.

Plague’s towering height makes it simple to spot Kasady at the end of the street. Fresh scars mar his face and arms.

“Hey there, wanna settle a bet?”

_ ‘Not particularly.’ _

“Red here thinks you weren’t going all out on us, kiddo.” The man teases. 

Bands of rot rise threateningly from Plague’s back.  _ ‘I’m no child of  _ **_yours_ ** _.’ _

“Not  _ mine, _ duh.” Kasady concedes. “But see this little..or well  _ big _ birdy told me and Red alll about Drake's experiment babies surviving.”

**“Who?”** Venom hisses.

“Oh I think our pal Eddie knows him well. Goes by the name Fisk.”

V’ jolts, but it’s Annie who gets a word in first.

“ You mean  _ Wilson _ Fisk?!”

“Smart gal! Yeah, the Kingpin himself. Got me off scott-free and told the missus all these neat stories. It’s not all tulips though. Won’t let me kill the kid’s host.” He gestures at Plague dismissively. “Which blows.”

**“Well you can tell him to eat a** **_dick._ ** **”** Venom advises, going to run the man down.

Before they can connect, Cletus draws a small sphere from his jacket. He hurls it into the symbiote’s path, where it explodes into a ball of flammable gel.

Venom roars in pain, tripping backwards.

For the first time in a year at least, the headache inducing sirens of emergency vehicles are more than welcomed.

Kasady tsk’s from beyond the wall of fire. “Aw, lame. Guess we’re gonna have t’ catch you guys later, eh?”

Plague yells loud enough to make Dan and Annie’s ears ring.  _ ‘If you do, I’m going to rip both of you apart!’ _

A thrilled cackle. “That’s the spirit kid!”

* * *

Nick sits on the tarmac watching two columns of smoke billowing on the horizon. If he focuses he can hear the wail of sirens still going. He hugs his knees to his chest, unused to being on the inside of one of SF’s fancy private airstrips. He’s been on a call with Stark for the past hour from nerves rather than actual communication. 

He had nowhere else for the haggard group to go in the city. Not anywhere  _ safe _ that is. So here they were, shivering at the edge of dawn. 

Tony hangs up suddenly and the sound of engines is the herald of their ride. One of Stark Industry’s newest jets touches down gracefully to the earth.

A familiar face is who comes out to get them. It’s Peter. He ushers them into the plane and secures the door before hugging the nearest person.

That just so happened to be Nick, who gives a displeased squeak. “Hey-Parker, no I told you no touching!”

“Sorry!” The kid throws up his hands in surrender. “I’m just happy you guys are y’know  _ not in a bunch of pieces!? _ ” 

“Seconded.” Quips Tony from where he’s resetting the automatic systems in front. “You all got about three minutes before we takeoff, and she’s not friendly with the unbuckled crowd. Sit.”

They do, and honestly the new seats are so comfortable that Nick  _ almost _ doesn’t mind the initial g-forces like his last flight…

Almost.

Once they’re allowed to move around (Not that Nick wants to) Eddie turns to Peter. “So why are you along for the ride, bud?”

“To mediate!”

Hold it…

“What?” Eddie tilts his head.

Tony kicks his feet up, pointedly not looking at the others. “Didn’t want to scare you guys off. Brock you might not be fond of this, just fyi.”

Nick tries to get to his feet and Plague vetoes that, dragging their other back into their seat. Seems they hated planes just as much as their Other did.

“What makes you say that?” Eddie asks, a thin veneer of politeness that doesn’t hide his irritation.

“Been working with someone to develop a sort of...well Anti-Venom, for lack of a better word. In case I was right that we’d have more unfriendly goo beasts on our planet.” Stark raps on the window while he elaborates.

Someone emerges from the rear of the craft and Eddie grips the back of the nearest seat.

“Flash?!”

**Author's Note:**

> There we go my dudes.


End file.
